Close the system to keep out the rain, or open the
system to let in the sun—all with a touch of a button.

Selzer believes his products can make a dramatic
impact on their customers’ lives. “There is a reason
outdoor living is the number one trend in the
construction market,” he says. “Think about it. No one
goes on vacation to be inside. As human beings, we are
wired to enjoy life outdoors.” The problem, Selzer
continues, is making the outdoor space comfortable.

Arcadia Pergolas address this issue.

The concept caught on quickly with residential
owners. Now the business’s commercial arm is growing
fast, too. As proud as Selzer is of Arcadia’s growth
numbers, he is most enthused about the opportunity to
create jobs. Recently, he took this one step further with
the Arcadia Pergola Partner (APP) program launch.

The program provides an opportunity for like-minded
entrepreneurs to launch and operate their own Arcadia
Pergola businesses in their local markets. Applications
are open to those who are interested and can be found
on the company’s website. Selzer is prepared to help
his new partners build their own multimillion-dollar
companies. “Our goal is to have an Arcadia Pergola
dealer in every major market,” he says. “With the right
people, we will make that happen.”

MEE T SCOTT SELZER, a formermiddle school teacher who builtan outdoor living empire byiterating on a product that hasbeen around for centuries. Hisbusiness, Arcadia BuildingProducts, produces customaluminum pergolas for residential and commercialcustomers. The company’s flexible and elegant designsand commitment to customer service have helped toland it on the Inc. 5000 for four years in a row.

Selzer was teaching a unit on entrepreneurship to
his sixth-grade classroom when it dawned on him: He
had what it takes to run his own business. Selzer has
always been handy, so he rounded up some teacher
friends and started a business, School’s Out
Construction, to supplement his salary.

The company took o; quickly, and by the spring of

2008, Selzer felt secure leaving his teaching position to
run the company full-time. Then the recession hit, and
builders and home owners everywhere cut back
substantially on projects. Around this time, Selzer had
a client who was looking for a way to cover his outdoor
living space without sacrificing natural light. With a
Google search, Selzer discovered the louvered roof
concept—the pergola—and noted there were only a
couple of manufacturers in the space. He bought a few
systems and was struck by how quickly they sold.

Selling them was easy, remarks Selzer. Getting
them installed correctly was not. “Existing products
weren’t up to snu;, and the customer service was bad.

Arcadia was really born out of necessity. If there had
been a quality pergola manufacturer out there, we
might not be here today,” he explains.

Selzer launched Arcadia in 2011. Now he could
control the whole process, from manufacturing to
installation. With technology, he improved upon
existing designs, so much so that he secured a U.S.
patent for his systems. But these aren’t anything like
the pergolas of Ancient Rome. Arcadia Pergolas use
motorized overhead louvers, or slats, that adjust and
pivot to any angle to create, sun, shade, or shelter.

ARCADIA

218%

#2040

50+

2018 INC. 5000

RANKING

3-YEAR GROW TH
NUMBER OF
EMPLOYEES

INNOVATIVE BUILDING PRODUCTS

la From C ssroom
to Boardroom

Here’s how a former teacher created a multimillion-dollar outdoor living
brand and how he plans to help other entrepreneurs do the same.

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